A proper New Year's Eve bash requires preparation. Before the ball drops (and the Big Orange rises), you've got to make dinner reservations so you can enjoy a great meal the last night of the year.
We've compiled a long list of dining possibilities, broken down by neighborhood. So figure out your date and outfit later. Get the ball rolling on your complimentary glass of champagne and multi-course prix-fixe menu.
We'll update this post regularly, so be sure to check back for new entries.
Aventura
Bourbon Steak
The first seating between 6-7:30 p.m. offers three-courses for $95 -- but wait, the second seating between 8:30-10:30 p.m. offers six-courses for $275 per person. The second seating menu includes a caviar parfait, a trio of Spanish octopus, hay-smoked duck shabu-shabu, lobster and mushroom ravioli, beef wellington and dark chocolate gâteau.19999 W. Country Club Dr., Aventura, 786-279-6600, michaelmina.net.
Pilar Restaurant
Bring in the new year at the Promenade Shops with a four-course prix-fixe menu featuring a glass of wine and a champagne toast for $65 per person. Reservations are recommended. 20475 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura, 305-937-2777, pilarrestaurantandbar.com.
Bal Harbour
Makoto
Ring in the new year with some drumming. Beginning at 8 p.m. Fushu Daiko, a Japanese taiko drumming troupe, will perform at Makoto. The regular a la carte menu will be available along with some specials for the night. 9700 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, 305-864-8600, makoto-restaurant.com.
Brickell
Atrio Restaurant + Wine Room
Dining at the Conrad Miami means a 6-course dinner accompanied by live Bossa Nova-style music. The dinner costs $195 a person and along with the entertainment includes a champagne toast of Veuve Clicquot and a welcome amuse-bouche. 1395 Brickell Ave, 305-503-6529, conradhotels3.hilton.com.
DB Bistro Moderne
For fine dining on your holiday, you have three different ways to celebrate. The early dinner from 5:30-7:30 p.m. feature a three-course prix fixe dinner for $75. Or you can splurge on the gala seating from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with a five-course tasting menu with champagne at midnight, party favors, DJs in the lounge and TVs for the ball drop for $195 per person. The tasting menu includes squab and foie gras, crab raviolo and a lamb trio. The final option is non-commital, you can hang in their lounge between 5 p.m to 3 a.m. with no cover and their raw bar and charcuterie display is available a la carte til midnight with bottle and cocktail menu service all night. 255 Biscayne Blvd. Way, Miami, 305-421-8800, dbbistro.com.
Cipriani
The steepest price tag in town belongs to Cipriani where their gala dinner, beginning at 9 p.m., will run you $1000 per person. This meal has the usual suspects: caviar, stone crab, white truffles, lamb and Dom Perignon. Additions will be the Brazilian dance show, Puligny Montrachet white wine and Ornellaia red wine served all night. But it does not include tax or gratuity. 465 Brickell Ave, Miami, 786-329-4090, cipriani.com.
Lippi Restaurant
Dinner on the last night of 2013 at Lippi includes a bottle of champagne, caviar, foie gras, lobster and beef tenderloin. This decadent dinner with five-courses can be yours for $195 per person with seatings from 7 - 9:30 p.m. 600 Brickell Ave, Miami, 305-579-1888, lippirestaurants.com.
Coral Gables
John Martin's
If you want the luck of the Irish this New Year's Eve, head to John Martin's. They are offering a special menu and live music for $60 per person. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. and the party goes 'til 2 a.m. with a bagpiper at midnight! 253 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, 305-445-3777, johnmartins.com.
Key Biscayne
Rusty Pelican
For a different view then Miami Beach, pay the toll and go to Key Biscayne. The Rusty Pelican has two separate NYE events. If you want to indulge in the dining one, you can sit on the patio for $200 per person (including tax and gratuity) it includes a five-course meal, a bottle of Perrier Jouet champagne with two hand painted champagne glasses as a party favor, and a string quartet. If you can't score a table outside it is $175 per person on the main floor. The other event is the black tie Masquerade Gala for $275 per person with costume encouraged and celebrity appearances. 3201 Rickenbacker Cwy, Key Biscayne, 305-361-3818, miami.therustypelican.com.
Miami Beach
660 at the Anglers
The first seating at the Angler begins at 6:30 p.m. with a live guitarist and a four-course meal for $100. The second seating, beginning at 9:30 p.m., is a bit wilder with a DJ, a welcome drink, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight for $175 per person. The happy ending of these meals? Champagne truffles! If you were wondering what to wear, the color is scheme is black, gold and silver. 660 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 786-594-5811, theanglersresort.com.
Bâoli Miami
Get a taste of Tokyo and the future in Miami at the Neo Tokyo NYE party where the theme is Harajuku via 2914. The dinner is served family style for $435 per person, dishes include shiro toryufu rizotto and torutuo maguro. 1906 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, 305-674-8822, baolimiami.com.
Bar Crudo
Bar Crudo is serving up a very fun and playful NYE menu with N₂O limoncello (sous-vide to the texture of sorbet) and paired with Pop Rocks for dessert to end your meal/year with a bang. This six-course meal will be offered at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. for $185 per person, including a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. 40 S Pointe Dr, Miami Beach, 305-763-8508, barcrudomiami.com
Barton G
Promising something elegant and unique, but anything but the regular; Barton G is sure to be an experience with their a la carte menu. The early seating takes place between 5:30 - 7 p.m. and requires that diners be finished at 9 p.m. At which time the second seating begins. At this later seating a $35 fee will be added per person for a DJ, party favors and requires guests to be over 21. 1427 West Ave., Miami Beach, 305-672-8881, bartongrestaurant.com.
Bianca at Delano South Beach
$625 for three-courses and a champagne toast may seem excessively pricey, but it is the Delano. The dinner's entree is surf and turf, with the surf portion made up of Maine lobster stuffed with king crab and foie gras. 1685 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, 305-674-5752, biancamiami.com
Café Prima Pasta
Carb loading may be the way to go for your New Year's Eve meal, that way you can train yourself like an athlete and soak up all the future booze you will consume. Café Prima Pasta is offering a special New Year's Eve tasting menu for $95 per person. Pasta dishes include spinach canelones and lobster and asparagus lasagna. 414 71st St., Miami Beach, 305-867-0106, cafeprimapasta.com.
Catalina Hotel & Beach Club
If you are looking for a dinner buffet and the star of an HBO show, head to the Catalina in South Beach. The celebrity host this year is True Blood's Jessica Clark. For just $95 you can indulge in access to an open bar at all three of the hotels venues, a dinner buffet, sushi and raw bar and endless desserts from 8 p.m. to midnight. 1732 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, catalinahotel.com.
Catch Miami
Dining at the James Royal Palm on the last night of the year means you can try Chef Hung's Cantonese lobster. The three-course $150 prix-fixe dinner is available from 9:30 p.m. to close. The dessert includes a cookie bucket! 1545 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 786-224-7200, emmgrp.com.
De Rodriguez Cuba
For an Ocean Drive firework view, head to the Hilton Bentley South Beach. "DRod" is offering an open bar, DJs, party favors, a view and a midnight champagne toast. The first seating is at 6 p.m. and is $114 per adult, under 21 is $50 and under 12 is $25. The second seating runs form 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and costs $195 per adult, under 21 is $100, and under 13 is $50. 101 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-672-6624, drodriguezcuba.com.
Gotham Steak, Hakkasan and Scarpetta at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach
These three restaurants will be offering four-courses for the first seating, between 6:30-8 p.m. or 7:30-9 p.m. for $195 per person. Or the second seating offers five-courses at either 8:30 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. for $295. You can also pre-order your bottle of bubbly at these restaurants ahead of time for a discount. 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-695-2414, fontainebleau.com.
The Forge
The first seating begins at 6 p.m. with tables available until 8 p.m. and offers a three-course meal for $95 per person. The second seating begins at 8:30 p.m. for a four-course meal, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot bubbly per couple, party favors, noise makers, a DJ and dancing for $350 per person. 432 W 41st St.,
Miami Beach, 305-538-8533, theforge.com.
Lorenzo
It is black truffle season and Lorenzo's in South Beach is celebrating with a New Year's Eve menu dedicated to the delicious fungus. Winter black truffles touch every option in this four course meal (yes, even as dessert). This menu will be available after 9 p.m. for $200 per person with optional wine pairings for $75. 1776 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, 786-483-1796, lorenzomiami.com.
Red The Steakhouse
Red is offering a five-course dinner for $199 per person with selections that include crab cakes, lobster stufffed with crab and white truffle pappardelle. Dinner begins with canapés and ends with a champagne toast at midnight. 119 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, 305-534-3688, redthesteakhouse.com.
Restaurant Michael Schwartz at The Raleigh
Restaurant Michael Schwartz is serving up two seatings of prix-fixe dinners for the holiday. The first is from 6-8:30 p.m. and include three-courses for $100 and the second is from 9-9:30 p.m. including four-courses for $150. Dishes include a porcini carpaccio and brioche crusted local grouper. 1775 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, 305-612-1163, raleighhotel.com.
Terrazza
If you plan to ring in the new year at the Shore Club with Matisyahu, you can dine at Terrazza beforehand. They are offering an early seating from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for $175 and a late seating from 9-11 p.m. for $255 including a four-course meal and half off tickets to Skybar. 1901 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 786-276-6772, morganshotelgroup.com.
Tongue & Cheek
In honor of being (tongue and) cheeky, there will a speakeasy style New Year's Eve celebration with prohibition attire (prizes for best costume) and live entertainment. The first seating from 6:30 -8:30 p.m. will feature three-courses for $85. The second seating from 9 p.m. to midnight will offer five-courses for $150 per person. Both seatings include a complimentary champagne toast. If you party too hard with bathtub gin, head over the following day for hangover brunch. 431 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, 305-704-2900, tandcmiami.com.
Villa Azur
One of the most expensive events involves dinner, a party and a bottle of Dom Perignon for two for $495 per person. The DJ is coming from St. Tropez, a four-course meal will be served and the party goes from 8 p.m. all the way 'til 5 a.m. the next morning. 309 23rd St, Miami Beach, 305-763-8688, villaazurmiami.com
Midtown/Design District
Cypress Room
One of our favorite restaurant of 2013 is serving their a la carte menu, as well as two tasting menus. You can pick between three-courses ($49, $69 with wine) and five-courses ($95, $155 with wine) served from 5:30 p.m. until midnight. You can also partake in a complimentary champagne toast. 3620 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, 305-520-5197, thecypressroom.com.
The Federal Food Drink & Provisions
Starting with oysters on a half shell with champagne jelly and ending with piggy cracker jack bread pudding, the Federal has one fun menu. The five-course feast is $75, for the option of sparkling wine pairings for $30 per person. Reservations run from 7 to 10:30 p.m. with a complimentary midnight champagne toast and gold coins for good luck.
Mercadito Midtown
If you are looking for a fiesta for the new year, then Mercadito offers dos. You can celebrate early between 5-9:15 p.m. with the regular a la carte menu or ring in the new year beginning at 9:45 p.m. This later in the evening celebration brings with it a five-course sharing menu with a 2-hour open bar (!) and a champagne toast at midnight for $90 per person. If you want to start off the new year right, they are also offering a hangover cure brunch on the first day of the new year for $30 per person that includes three brunch items and unlimited brunch cocktails (!!). 3252 NE First Ave., Miami, 786-369-0430, mercaditorestaurants.com.
Oak Tavern
If you can't wait until the derby to show off your crazy hat, head to Oak Tavern for their Mad Hatter's Ball, where guests are encouraged to don their wackiest headwear. For $75 guests can enjoy a three-course prix-fixe dinner beginning at 9 p.m. The evening will feature a champagne toast at midnight, a DJ and prizes for the best hat. Reservations are required. 35 NE 40th Street, Miami, 786-391-1818, oaktavernmiami.com.
Sunny Isles
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Kitchen 305
For a Gatsby-themed meal and evening, head to the Newport Beachside. You can purchase the Bee's Knees package for $70 per person that includes entrance to the party, a four-course meal, party favors and a champagne toast. Expect to see dishes like oysters Rockefeller, lobster bisque, coq au vin cornish hen and baked Alaska. 16701 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach, 305-749-2110, kitchen305miami.com.
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